Keeping it a secret part 1
by Monarchy of a Fangirl
Summary: What if Ron and Hermione had started their romatic journey after the Yule Ball? And then what if they wanted to keep it a secret from everyone else? This is the first of five stories about them keeping that secret...Please read and review
1. Chapter 1

_This story starts just after the Yule ball in the fourth. Each chapter will alternate between Hermione and Ron's point of view._

Keeping it a secret- Part 1

Chapter 1

_Hermione's point of view_

Ron was being completely unreasonable, just because I went to the ball with Victor, fraternising with the enemy? How dare he! If he really liked me, then he would have asked me to the ball himself, not waited until the last possible moment. Does he not realise how many nights I have cried myself to sleep, knowing that he will never think of me as anything more than a friend with no gender? So of course I had to make other arrangements.

Victor is a lovely boy, but I don't like in the way that I like Ron. I like him in the way that I like Harry. Almost as though he is my brother, so I'm just going to have to tell him that it's not going to happen. I wish that I could just get Ron completely out of my head; he is messing up every chance at a relationship I get!

I pulled my head back into the argument that Ron and I were having outside the portrait hole at one in the morning, no-one else was awake.

'Next time there is a dance, you should ask me yourself. Instead of as a last resort!' I heard myself shrieking at him, but I knew that I didn't mean it, all I wanted to say was that I loved him.

'Well there won't be a next time will there? So when am I supposed to ask you to a dance?' he yelled back.

'How about now?' I shouted. Ron looked at me, I was still wearing my blue dress, but my hair was coming out of its bun. I had taken off my make-up and my hair was becoming bushy again. But when Ron looked at me, I forgot all about how ever ugly I felt. I just felt beautiful.

'Hermione, will you dance with me?' I was shocked; I didn't expect him to actually ask me.

'There isn't any music.' I whispered.

'I don't care.' He murmed. Then he took my hands and we danced a couple of steps, before we fell into a kiss. It was my second ever kiss, but the best ever. It was soft and gentle, but it was also hard and passionate. We kissed for about a minute and then I stepped away.

'What does this mean? Does it mean anything to you? Does this make us 'together'?' I was full of questions, Ron didn't seem like he wanted to answer anything at all. I waited for about a minute for him to get his bearings back, and then he kissed me again.  
It was better than last time, he seemed more sure of himself, and I hoped that I was a good kisser. This time we kissed for longer, about three minutes. Then we broke apart, and Ron smiled at me.

'Mione I think of you as a great friend, I just don't think that I'm ready for a relationship or anything like that. But I suppose that we could give it time and see if we work out from there.' He was blushing and his ears were turning pink.

I was shocked; he wasn't ready for a relationship? So did that kiss mean nothing to him? But before I could ask any questions, he was going back into the common room, but before he went, he turned and looked at me and said.

'I hope you don't mind. But could we please keep this a secret? I don't want to have to deal with awkward questions and I'm not ready for a 'couple status' yet. Goodnight 'Mione.' And with that he walked back through the portrait hole.

I wanted to scream at him, I wanted to cry; I also wanted to kiss him again. I may as well go along with 'not telling anyone'; it might give me a chance with Ron. I slowly made my way back through the common room and upstairs to my dorm, Parvati and Lavender weren't back yet, so the dorm was blissfully quite. And so was the bathroom.  
I went in and turned the shower on; a hot stream of gushing water came out immediately. I took my clothes off and got into the shower, as I stood there I watched all of my body glitter and make-up disappear down the drain, it felt like going back to reality. I had been Cinderella for one night and my prince Charming had finally realised this, but tomorrow I would just be his bushy haired friend again, who had no gender.

After I had finished in the shower, I got out, dried myself off. And sat down on my bed, and cried. I cried and cried, for myself and my confused feelings. I didn't want to rage and storm anymore, I simply wanted a hug. Of course it would be quite a while until I could get one of those. It was as though the shower had put out any flames of rage I had, I was a candle, whose fire had gone out, and so I had nothing left inside me.

Once I was done crying, I got into bed, turned off the lights and fell asleep almost immediately. I was so tired, that I didn't even stir when Lavender and Parvati came in, not twenty minutes later. The last thought on my mind was the look on Ron's face just after he kissed me, blissful happiness.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Ron's point of view_

I woke up late the next morning, but then again, who didn't? I really hoped that Hermione wouldn't tell anyone about those kisses. I just wasn't ready to jump from being friends to being a couple, I needed time to think.

The whole of Boxing Day, we were being cool to each other, not too cold. Just very polite, it was as though we had forgotten how to be around each other. Who knew that three minutes could make such a difference? Not me that's for sure. Luckily it didn't seem as though Harry suspected anything and he is quite observant. We told Hermione all about Hagrid being half-giant. I was still quite shocked myself. She didn't seem to care, but then she wasn't raised as a witch, so she wouldn't know what a scandal it is to be anything other than fully human.

We both know that Harry hasn't figured out his egg clue yet. At least I do and as Hermione is very clever, I assume that she does as well. Harry really is very transparent, when something is bothering him, it doesn't take a genius to figure it out. I have no idea what it is about, if you wanted knowledge on the magical world or on dragon then I know it all. But I'm kind of lacking in the logic and problem solving department. That's where Hermione helps us, Harry provides the stupid bravery and all of those Gryffindor qualities, and I just provide the comic relief. I do sometimes feel jealous of Harry, I mean who wouldn't? He is good looking, he has the heart throb factor, I mean he is an orphan, he is clever, good at Quidditch and he is such a nice guy, except when you get on the wrong side of his temper. I'm not gay or anything, I just get jealous of all of the attention that Harry gets.

Yea, I definitely like girls. Especially brunettes, who are quite short, and really clever, and quite bossy, and who care about particular things very strongly. Those girls are my type. I wonder what Hermione's type of guy is? Probably stupid international Quidditch players, from Bulgaria. I really hope not. They better not be, I snapped Krum's legs for a reason, only on my model of him, but still…

We all know who Harry's type is, Cho Chang. Too bad she's dating Cedric Diggory. I see Harry's face darken every time we walk past him in the corridors. Cedric gave Harry a hint to 'take a bath' in the Prefect's bathroom. I know that Harry will refuse Cedric's help until the last possible moment. He won't take any favours from the guy who is a competitor against him and dating the girl he likes.

We were walking past the lake the other day the three of us, and then guess who just happened to come out for a swim. The one, the only, git beaked, twat headed, Quidditch player, the one who is out to steal my girl. Hermione seemed to think that he was awfully brave to go out swimming in such cold, in secret I was for the giant squid to get him. I think Hermione might have figured this out, when I want to; I can be as transparent as Harry. Harry just thought that he was mad for going swimming in the lake in January wearing only trunks. Hermione told me that he is 'really nice' and that 'he prefers it here'. As is, he only wants to get with her, I can see right through his little act.

When we went down into Hogsmeade, we met quite a few people. Ludo Bagman, who seemed to be having goblin troubles and then he offered to give Harry tips, also Fred and George who tried to buy Bagman a drink, but he practically ran out of the pub. Also Harry and Hermione got into fights with Rita Skeeter over her article about Hagrid. She wrote about him being a 'filthy half-breed'. I'm worried that Rita might make up some rubbish about Hermione, but Hermione just laughed it off.

After the pub incident, Hermione practically ran out of Hogsmeade and to Hagrid's house. She was banging on the door and shouting all sorts of things, until Professor Dumbledore opened the door. He was really nice about it all though. He let us in and Hermione and Harry yelled at Hagrid for a while, whilst Dumbledore just spoke to him calmly. I was bored of it all, so in a vain attempt to show moral support for Hagrid I asked for a rock cake. I was thinking of all of the ways that I could use it to clobber Krum.  
After Hagrid had calmed down, and Dumbledore had left. Hagrid began to ask Harry questions about the egg. Hermione and I could both see that Harry was struggling not to tell Hagrid the truth. It was so obvious that he felt so guilty and that he hated being the champion. The worst part was the confidence Hagrid had in Harry and how much Harry didn't want all of his confidence.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_Hermione's point of view_

I knew it, I knew that Harry had no idea about the egg clue and I did warn him not to leave it too late, well now he has. I can't believe that he is actually going to take Cedric's advice and have a bath in the prefect's bathroom. I don't think that he should be breaking into the bathroom, and under normal circumstances, I would have reprimanded him against doing it. But these are no normal circumstances. I'm so afraid for Harry and I know that Ron is too, he just won't say anything to Harry as he doesn't want to scare him ever more than he already is.

So Ron and I have the common room to ourselves tonight. It should be fun and awkward; we haven't spent any time together since the night of the ball. I just want us to sort this out for once, but this is Ron we are talking about, so anything could happen. I might go to the library or carry on knitting elf hats, I could look over Ron's homework I suppose and correct it. As long as I'm not writing it myself, because if I write it myself, how will he ever learn?

Ron and I, sitting together in the common room. I'm correcting his charms essay and he is drawing something. The only sounds are our breathing, our quills and the fire crackling. We aren't waiting for Harry; we are waiting for one of us to broach the subject. It may as well be me; Ron isn't the best at taking subtle hints.

'So, Ron-?' I ask tentatively.

'Yeah 'Mione?' He doesn't look up, but I shiver in happiness. I love it when Ron calls me that. No-one else is allowed to, only Ron.

'I was wondering if you'd thought anymore?' He looks up at me, a quizzical expression on his face.

'About what 'Mione?' I smile at his slowness, one of the many things I love about him.

'About us, Ron.' His expression changes instantly, from a look of comfort and ease to an expression of guarded hesitation. It is clear to me that he doesn't like me in that way or that he wants to take 'us' to the next level.

'Never mind. Forget that I said it. Goodnight Ron.' He looks shocked at my abrupt departure. I set down his essay which I had finished and then I run back upstairs to the dorm. I keep seeing his guarded expression in my mind's eye, and with that thought in mind, I fall asleep. Wishing that he felt differently or that I felt differently.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Ron's point of view_

Hermione and I are so scared for Harry and the next task, I mean, how the bloody hell is he supposed to survive under water for an hour? This is probably why the champions need to be older; they know more useful spells I suppose. But then again, this is Harry Potter. He can do pretty much anything, except get the girl that he likes. Then again there is always next year after Diggory has left.

Today during charms class, Harry was telling us about the previous night's events. How Filch caught him out of the bed, how Snape turned up and knew that he was there, the marauders map showing Barty Crouch snooping around Snape's office and how Moody came to Harry's rescue and decided to borrow his map. Charms really is the ideal class for us all to be talking, everyone is always practising charms that are fun, so no-one really pays attention to the people at the back of the class. Today we had to do the banishing spell, Hermione did it perfectly first try and then to my surprise so did Harry. I didn't even bother to try after that.

Harry wrote another letter to Sirius, telling him all about Moody and Snape. We were spending most our time trying to figure out a way of Harry surviving underwater. I quite like the idea of using the summoning charm again; you could summon aqualungs and then use them. But as ever Hermione had to stamp on all of my amazing ideas. First it was something about breaking the international law of secrecy and then it was about not being able to operate aqualungs within one hour. She really does know how to be a buzz kill. Then of course, she had to go and show off about the fact that she knows and can probably do sixth year transfiguration, whilst I'm struggling with fourth transfiguration.

We looked in the library for ages to try and find something, anything for Harry. But we got nothing. Sirius owled Harry back and asked us for the next Hogsmeade dates. Harry immediately was panicked; he didn't want Sirius to be caught. Hermione and I could both see how much he wanted to see Sirius though.

Hagrid was teaching us about baby unicorns, they were gold and they didn't mind us boys. It was nice and all of them were cute. I think that Hagrid is trying to make up for missing a couple of lessons, by giving us cute magical creatures, instead of ones that could kill us. During the lesson Hagrid was talking to Harry, it was clear that Hagrid was saying that he thought that Harry was going to win. Harry just looked guilty, he hates having to lie to his friends and he is such a bad liar.

The night before the second task, the three of us were sitting in the library. Then Fred and George came through and told Hermione and I to go and see Professor Dumbledore. We left, promising Harry that we would see him later. As we walked through the school together, we were both wondering what we had done wrong now. Maybe we would get told off for helping Harry. Our hands touched several times as we walked. Electric tingles went up my arm and down my spine whenever this happened, but we avoided looking at each other.

When we got to Professor Dumbledore's office, he explained to us what would happen to us. I can't even begin to describe my jealousy when Hermione was told that she was Krum's prize. I wished so bad that I could be Krum, just so that I could have Hermione. I was to be Harry's prize; Cho was going to Cedric's. I felt sorry for Harry at this; it would crush him when he found out. And a little girl who looked like Fleur's sister was going to be Fleur's prize.

We got put to sleep and I remember nothing except reaching out for Hermione's hand as the darkness encroached on my vision, I was reassured when I felt her hand find mine and we fell into a deep sleep, holding hands.

When I next awoke I was wet, very wet. Bobbing on either side of me was Harry and Fleur's little sister. I was confused, wasn't Fleur supposed to get her sister? Then I saw that the little girl couldn't swim very well, so I helped over to the stands. I saw Fleur standing in the stands, sobbing and trying to get back to the water. I saw Cedric and Cho watching Harry and me nervously and I also saw Hermione and Krum, standing a bit away from the crowd and they seemed to be talking fast together, hands intertwined. I felt my heart burn and sear, and then Percy was splashing out to meet me. Why was Percy here? But he was hugging me and then dragging me back to shore. Madam Pomfery gave me some sort of potion and then Harry explained what stupid noble act he had done this time.

He had saved Fleur's sister as well as me. If he hadn't bothered with the girl, then he would have been back first, but no. His noble side had to come into play, and he had to wait to make sure that all the champions had gotten their prizes and when Fleur didn't turn up, he just had to save the girl. I was dazed and so it seemed was everyone else, the only real thing I noticed was when Hermione hugged me hard. She felt warm and soft and she was the only real thing to me. I think at some point Fleur might have kissed me on the cheek, but I can't be sure.

Harry and Cedric got top marks, so they were in the lead and the next task wouldn't be until June. I didn't have to worry until June. Now I just had to sort out my feelings for Hermione…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Hermione's point of view_

Ron can be such an attention seeker sometimes. Ever since the lake task, he's been telling everyone how a bunch of merpeople kidnapped us and forced us brutally into the lake. I might be still a bit annoyed at Victor, I quite clearly told him that it wasn't going to happen between us, and then he tells me that 'I'll be the thing he misses most' and ask me I I'll come and visit him in Bulgaria over the summer. As if!

Sirius sent Harry back a letter; it looks as though he has come back to Hogsmeade. I know that Harry is worried that he might be caught, but also relieved. He misses Sirius so much, I suppose it's because Sirius is the closest thing that Harry has ever had to a parent. I always worry about Harry, but I'm very much in awe of how brave he is. I would never be able to cope with living with verbally abusive relatives, then defeating Voldemort twice, being able to conjure a corporal patronus, fly like he does and dal with my godfather being an infamous criminal.

According to Rita Skeeter's latest article in Witch Weekly, I'm Harry's girlfriend, but I also want the attention Krum and that I'm so clever that I brew up love potions behind all of the teacher's backs and give it to boys to make them like me. As if boys wouldn't like me without those supposed 'love potions'. Ron keeps saying that Rita has turned me into some sort of 'scarlet women' pathetic, it takes a lot more than a couple of petty articles to scare me off.

Then of course Snape had to catch us reading Witch Weekly in class and read it out to everybody, his voice made the entire thing a lot worse than it actually was. I could see poor Harry blushing furiously and looking very annoyed. Then of course he had to split us up and make me go and work by Parkinson. That girl really is a bitch on two different levels, firstly because she looks like a pug dog and secondly she is so mean and catty. I spent the rest of the lesson trying to ignore everything that she said to me. It was almost as though she was simmering, and spitting, like the cauldron. At least that's what her voice sounded like to me.

At one point I looked up from my potion and I'm pretty sure that I saw Snap threatening Harry with Veritaserum, Harry look positively murderous. I'm pretty sure that the use of that potion is illegal on a student, then again it is Snape and he has gotten away with threatening students for years. I'm surprised that Dumbledore hasn't put a stop to it yet.

Several times during the rest of that lesson I looked over at Ron, only to catch him staring back at me. This gave me an incredibly happy feeling in heart, almost like a balloon was being blown up inside me. Later I'll ask him about it, but he must have done it quite a few more times because more than once Parkinson commented on him staring at me, usually accompanied by some sort of insult towards me or Ron.

Towards the end of that potions lesson Karkaroff came in and began to speak urgently to Snape. I saw that there were only two minutes left and I also saw harry purposefully knocking over a bottle of something. Good, I thought. Then he will be able to tell us what happened between them.

Ron and I practically ran out of the dungeon at the bell, Ron took my hand and dragged me into an empty classroom two floors up, locked the door, and then he kissed me. It was hot, fiery and passionate, the sort that I liked. We were just getting into it and then he broke it off, put his finger to his lips and we hurried back downstairs, hoping that Harry hadn't missed us.

He hadn't noticed anything, so we left the castle at noon the next day with so much food for Sirius. I suppose that Sirius can't have been eating properly, what with being on the run with no money. Sirius appeared to us as a dog. His animgaus form. I'm quite jealous actually, I would love to be an animgaus, but of course I would do it legally. But what Sirius and James did for Remus was very noble and brave, I suppose that's why they were in Gryffindor.

Sirius made us follow him up a mountain, until we got to the cave where he was hiding out in. Dumbledore told him to hide in that cave, there were daily Prophets scattered all over the floor, it's clear that Sirius is trying to keep up to date with the news about the disappearances. We talked for a while about my S.P.E.W plans, Ron insulted them yet again. Also about who Harry should and shouldn't trust, Barty Crouch and his illnesses. At the end of our vist Ron said a really good point.

"Poor old Snuffles, He must really like you. Harry. Imagine having to live off rats." This could be taken as Ron's obsessive need for food, or as the fact that he really does care about Harry. I pray to everything I could ever possibly pray to that it's the second one.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_Ron's point of view_

The day after we visited Sirius, the three of u went up to the owlery, to ask Percy if he knew anything about Crouch's illness. After that we went down to the kitchens, we got some stuff to send up to Sirius a we saw Dobby. I really like that elf; he is always bursting with positivity and life. We also saw Winky and 'Mione tried to cheer her up. It didn't go very well, Winky has been drinking, only Butterbeer, but apparently that stuff is strong for elves. I get it that she's cut up about leaving he owner, but he was horrible and now that she is at Hogwarts she must be so much happier. Actually I suppose it's as though my family disowned me and I was never allowed back the Burrow, and I could only be at Hogwarts for ever.

Then Hermione had to say some sort of offhand comment and I just began to yell at her, I didn't even mean it. I just knew that if we bickered for long enough Harry would walk off and then we could kiss. That's all I really want to do whenever I see Hermione these days. But I'm still not too sure about being in a relationship, I mean what if I mess it up and then we break up? What if we can never go back to being just friends? What if I've already messed our friendship up? I'm not usually a deep thinker, but these are the sort of thoughts that plague my head at night, and all of my dreams turn o nightmares and they all end up with me losing Hermione.

Back to the present and our argument and I see Harry walk away from us, rolling his eyes. Good I think, so I take her hand and drag her into an empty classroom, she is yelling at me again.

'Hermione…shhhh. I only started that fight so Harry would go away and we could have some privacy.' She looks at me like I'm mental, so I kiss her. Best feeling in the world kissing Hermione. She tastes like cherries and peppermint, she smells like that as well. I love being with her, I know that most girls find that a slap round the face, but I'm not reading to say the L-word around her yet, maybe in a couple of years.

We stand kissing for quite a while and then we move away to draw breath. She looks at me and smiles; it's this sheepish smile that 'Mione wears whenever we've just finished kissing, she looks so beautiful whenever she smiles like that. Not that she doesn't look beautiful anyway, but that smile just makes her even more beautiful than usual. We walk back to Gryffindor tower holding hands and occasionally talking and kissing, we get to the portrait hole and she stops smiling and look at me,

'Ron, so I guess this is still a secret?' She has tears in her eyes and so much pain in her whisper. I hate seeing her hurt like this, but I'm not ready for us to be a couple.

'I'm so sorry 'Mione, I'm still not ready and secrets are easier than having to explain all of this to everyone.' She turns away from me, and I know that she doesn't want me to see her crying, she turns and walks through the portrait hole, leaving me to wonder if I had made the wrong decision.

By the next morning we are both back to normal around each other, I just can't seem to stop looking at her, as though she has some sort of magnet on her that attracts me immensely. I watch her as she gets what she thinks is the Daily Prophet and then as she opens so much hate mail, I also watch in horror as she opens an envelope filled with bubotuber pus and as her beautifully small hands began to swell up. She starts to cry and rushes out to the hospital wing. I want to run after her and hold her and comfort her until she tops crying, but I can't.

Harry and I go down to Herbology, during the lesson I'm very distracted by thoughts of Hermione and her hurt eyes, her sheepish smile and how it feels to kiss her. I didn't even realise that I was in Care of Magical Creatures and that I was winning the niffler competition, until I had actually won. And Hagrid was giving me a bar of Honeydukes chocolate. None of it felt real to me until I saw Hermione coming across the grounds, her dainty hands bandaged. I wanted to hurt the people who had done this to her, but she would never allow it.

At lunch I think that I'm complaining about being poor, Harry brought my Christmas present with leprechaun gold that I gave him at the world cup and I'm asking for a niffler, Hermione is saying that she knows what she is getting me for Christmas, and now she is complaining about not being able to eat properly. I just want to cut up her food and feed it to her gently, but I can't. Hermione wants know how Rita is listening into all of our conversations, I have no idea and Harry suggests some muggle technique.

After our next DADA lesson Hermione asks Moody if he saw her anywhere near the lake at the second task, she is adamant that she will find out how Rita is doing it. That's got to be one of the things that I love most about her, her determination to discover everything. To prove that she isn't inferior even though she is a muggle-born, I don't think she's inferior, I think that she is the smartest witch of her age.

When mum sent us three our annual Easter eggs, mines and Harry's were massive and Hermione's was tiny. Hermione looked disappointed, but she was trying not to show it and she asked me if my mum reads Witch Weekly, she does. I wish mum wouldn't jump to conclusions about Hermione; I'm just going to have to set this right with those women.

Later that night Harry got told to go down to the Quidditch pitch, so Hermione and I had the common room to ourselves. It was amazing we sat together all night, I had my arm around her and we talked quietly.

'Ron?' Hermione looked up at me.

'Mmmmhhhmmm?' I murmed sleepily into her hair.

'Do you want to have a bet?' She asked me.

'Sure what about? When Harry and Cho get together?' I was sitting up a little straighter now.

'I was thinking more along the third task, but sure we can do all three.' She smiled up at me.

'All three?' I asked.

'Yeah, what it is and who wins.'

'Ok 'Mione, I bet Harry wins and the task is that they have to play a Quidditch game and catch the snitch.'

'Fine, I bet that Cedric wins and that the task is an obstacle course or something like that.' I stood up suddenly.

'Why are you betting on Cedric?' I was angry, did she not think Harry could do it. Hermione looked shocked at my sudden mood swing.

'No Ron, nothing like that. It's just that you voted on Harry and well Cedric is older.' I was too angry to listen to her reasoning.

'Look, let's just not talk for the rest of the night until Harry gets back?' I said, and we sat in a corner of the common room and we waited until Harry got back.


	7. Chapter 7

_This is a gold moment; Chelsea just beat Bayern at penalties! What is this world coming to? I have no idea why I just told you that. Anyways, on with the story!_

Chapter 7

_Hermione's point of view_

We went to bed late, because we were discussing everything that had happened after the task briefing (which I won technically) and crouch vanishing, and woke up early this morning, to send a letter to Sirius about everything that happened and again to talk about Crouch. I was so tired that I wasn't thinking rationally. I just wanted to jump on Ron and kiss him, but I knew somewhere in the rational part of my brain that I couldn't for many reasons. Mainly because Harry was watching and I had promised Ron that I would keep 'us' a secret, whatever 'us' is. With a stupendous effort I pulled myself back to the current conversation.

"If Snape hadn't held me up," Harry said bitterly, "we might've got there in time.' The headmaster is busy. Potter . . . what's this rubbish, Potter?' Why couldn't he have just got out of the way?"

"Maybe he didn't want you to get there!" Ron said quickly. "Maybe - hang on - how fast d'you reckon he could've gotten down to the forest? D'you reckon he could've beaten you and Dumbledore there?"

"Not unless he can turn himself into a bat or something," Harry said.

"Wouldn't put it past him," Ron muttered.

"We need to see Professor Moody," I said. "We need to find out whether he found Mr. Crouch,"

"If he had the Marauder's Map on him, it would've been easy," Harry said.

"Unless Crouch was already outside the grounds," Ron said, "because it only shows up to the boundaries, doesn't -"

"Shh!" I said. We all stopped to look at the door of the owlery. We could hear two voices coming closer and closer, they rounded the door and it was Fred and George. They didn't seem to notice us as first and they were in a very serious debate about something which ceased as soon as they realised that we were standing there, staring at them.

They had an awkward and rushed conversation with us, where none of us found out all that we wanted to know. After they had left, Ron voiced fears about them breaking the law. I was also quite worried that they may do something like this.

We didn't have long to dwell on the subject though, we got to History of Magic and even I was so tired that I didn't take any notes during the lesson. I just spent the entire time trying to sort out my thoughts and feelings about Ron. I was angry at him, I was hurt because of him and I really liked him. I wanted to be with him, but I only wanted to be with him if he wanted to be with me. At the moment that seemed like a no. Maybe I should just move on with my life and not bother with him, there is this rather good looking fifth year that has been caught staring at me and there is always Victor. I don't say Harry because he is Ginny's, and I feel as though even thinking of him in that way would be betraying her trust and confidence.

When the bell finally rung at the end of History of Magic, we gathered up all of our stuff and hurried to the DADA classroom. Professor Moody was behind his desk and he looked about as dreadful as I felt. Harry jumped straight to the point and Ron and I added occasional comments in here and there. One of the things that I said must have impressed him, because Professor Moody told me that I would make a good auror. I've never considered being an auror, I haven't really considered at all what I want to do when I've left Hogwarts, but now that I come to think of it, maybe something like the magical law enforcement squad or the department for the regulation and control magical creatures.  
The rest of the time that we were talking, I could see Ron trying to make good suggestions to try and get Professor Moody to say that he would make a good auror too. I think that Ron would make an excellent auror; I think that Harry would make a brilliant one too.

The next morning Sirius sent Harry back a letter and I got my Daily Prophet, I really am starting a hate scheme against Rita. Sirius' letter was telling Harry that he stupid for going off into the forest with Victor alone. I can see why Sirius is concerned, someone has being trying to do Harry in all year. But Harry just seemed to think that Sirius was being hypocritical. I want Harry to be safe, and so does Sirius I just don't think that Harry can see this.

Ron and I began to prepare Harry for next task; this mainly consisted of finding new spells and jinxes and then practising them in many different classrooms. We first tried the stunning spell, this involved Harry practising on me or Ron. Ron got very moody when it was his turn and more than once suggested that we should kidnap Mrs Norris, at this I told him to stop missing the cushions that we had set out for the victim. At this Ron replied that it was hard to hit the cushions when he was unconscious. As I didn't want to fight again with Ron, I quickly changed the subject and we moved on spells.

The bell rang just we made a decision on which spell we should practise after dinner, I headed off to Arithmancy. The boys went off to Divination, I'm so glad that I gave up that subject, or more specifically walked out of it. That was the most rebel thing I've ever done to a teacher, mind you though, Trelawney can hardly be counted as a teacher. This Arithmancy lesson I was very distracted though, by thoughts of the third task and what Harry would be facing and how he must be feeling and Ron. But when does my mind not stray to Ron these days? I barely even noticed when Professor Vector dismissed my class to dinner.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Ron's point of view_

After Harry walked out of Divination, I stopped focusing altogether. I hadn't really been before, but now I stopped even attempting take in her words. Instead I thought of Hermione, the way she moved and her smile, I bolted out of the room as soon as the lesson ended and ran out to her classroom. I was waiting for five minutes when she came out, looking dazed. I saw her and kissed her, hard, in the corridor. Good thing that no-one was there when I did.

'Hey Ron.' She smiled at me.

'Hey 'Mione. Want to go to dinner?' she looked up at me and nodded, we set off towards the Great hall, holding hands. When we got to the Great Hall, I was looking out for anyone who knew us. As soon as we entered I dropped her hand as though something slimy was on it.

'Ron, where's Harry?' Hermione asked with a bite of worry in her voice.

'He felt ill during Divination, so I think he said that he would go to the Hospital Wing. But this is good.' I added at the end, smiling own at her.

'How is it good that your best friend feels ill?' She sounded accusatory.

'No, it's not good! I just meant that we could have some time together, alone.' I thought that she would understand what I meant.

'What's the point time having time together alone, when we aren't even a couple?' she was shrieking now, and I could see several people staring at us.

'Mione, let's not do this hear. Come with me to an empty classroom.' This apparently was not the right thing to say to her.

'What Ronald? Are you ashamed that we have a thing? Or do we not have anything and you are just using me as a plaything?' I stared at Hermione is disbelief, how could she be so stupid? I thought that she was supposed to be the smartest witch in the year.

'Hermione it's not like that!' I grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the Great Hall before we could attract any more attention. I took her up two flights of stairs and into an empty classroom.

'Fine, what is it like?' she shrieked.

'Hermione, I really like you!' I yelled back.

'Just liking me isn't enough for me anymore,' she yelled and she stormed out.

I ran after her. When Hermione turned around her bushy hair seemed to almost crackle with power. She saw me and as I came closer she slapped me. My cheek stung and as she turned to go again, I grabbed hold of her wrist. Hermione looked at me and then jumped onto me and we were kissing passionately in the middle of the hallway. If this was going to be how we were from now on, I think that I could live with that.

Needless to say, we never got to dinner that night. Most of it was spent in that hall way and then we went down to the kitchens for a bite to eat. Then we very slowly made our way back to Gryffindor common room, stopping in several empty classrooms for ten minutes at a time, to wait for Harry to come back from where ever he had gone off to this time.

_Sorry that this chapter isn't very long, just this is when Harr is in Dumbledore's office and Rona and Hermione aren't very involved with that. This is just a bit of a filler chapter. To explain their 'relationship' in a bit more depth._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

_Hermione's point of view_

After mine and Ron's fight and passionate make-up, we went back to the common room and waited for Harry. We had only been waiting for five minutes before Harry came through the portrait hole and he made a direct beeline for us.

Harry told me and Ron about his dream with the bird and Voldemort. He then told us about the conversation he had overheard outside Dumbledore's office. After that he told us about Dumbledore's pensive, but it seemed to me as though he left out some of what he had seen, but I chose not to question it. Then he told us about the conversation that he had with Dumbledore afterwards, again it seemed as though he left something out, whether or not it was on purpose I wasn't sure. I was shocked to hear that Ludo Bagman was accused of being a death eater and at the fact that Karkaroff has sold out several death eaters, just so he could go free. Had he never heard of being loyal to your friends? Also how could anyone possibly know about Bagman? Did anyone? Oh that's right, that cow Rita.

"Rita Skeeter," I muttered finally.

"How can you be worrying about her now?" asked Ron, in utter disbelief.

"I'm not worrying about her," I said to my knees. "I'm just thinking, remember what she said to me in the Three Broomsticks?' I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl. 'This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial; she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, remember. 'Ludo Bagman's a bad wizard.' Mr. Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home."

"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?"

I shrugged.

"And Fudge reckons Madame Maxime attacked Crouch?" Ron said, turning back to Harry.

"Yeah," said Harry, "but he's only saying that because Crouch disappeared near the Beauxbatons carriage."

"We never thought of her, did we?" said Ron slowly. "Mind you, she's definitely got giant blood, and she doesn't want to admit it-"

"Of course she doesn't," I said sharply, looking up. "Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita found out about his mother. Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, just because she's part giant. Who needs that sort of prejudice? I'd probably say I had big bones if I knew that's what I'd get for telling the truth." I looked at my watch. "We haven't done any practicing!" I said, looking shocked. "We were going to do the Impediment Curse! We'll have to really get down to it tomorrow! Come on. Harry, you need to get some sleep."

And with that I bade them goodnight, I had no intentions of sleeping however. I spent half the night thinking about Rita and ways I could expose her as a fraud, those thoughts turned to a dreamlike state and I finally dropped off into a restless sleep in the early hours of the morning.

As the months began to speed up towards June and the third task, the castle became tense and excited again and for the final time. Ron and I spent very little time as just the two of us, and maybe that was a good thing. We were spending every free moment, that we should have spent revising, helping Harry. One afternoon Ron said something about how we would get top marks in our DADA test from all of the practising that we had been doing. I could see that Harry felt guilty, but that he also really wanted our help.

One day when we were practising the jelly legs jinx, Ron spotted something. "Come and look at this," said Ron, who was standing by the window. He was staring down onto the grounds. "What's Malfoy doing?"

Harry and I went to see. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in the shadow of a tree below. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be keeping a lookout; both were smirking.

Malfoy was holding his hand up to his mouth and speaking into it.

"He looks like he's using a walkie-talkie," said Harry curiously.

"He can't be," I said, "I've told you, those sorts of things don't work around Hogwarts. Come on, Harry," I added briskly, turning away from the window and moving back into the middle of the room, "let's try that Shield Charm again."

Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Gryffindor table on the morning of the third task. The post owls appeared, bringing Harry a good-luck card from Sirius. It was only a piece of parchment, folded over and bearing a muddy paw print on its front, but Harry seemed to appreciate it all the same. A screech owl arrived for me, carrying my morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. I unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it. Rita had written another foul article about Harry and his scar. I couldn't believe that she would do that on today of all days. Harry and Ron asked to see the paper, I tried to hide it, but Ron grabbed it and I watched him scan the front page, then he joined in with my ploy of hiding the paper from Harry. It was working until Malfoy had to make some comment about it. After that we just had to show Harry, it was better that he found out himself rather than through rumours.

Ron handed him the newspaper and I watched as Harry's brow furrowed as read more lies about himself in the most famous wizarding paper. To my surprise when he finished the paper, he folded it up and put it down and said,

'Gone off me a bit hasn't she?' and then carried on eating as though this article about him being a dark wizard and an attention seeker didn't bother him in the world.

"How did she know your scar hurt in Divination?" Ron said. "There's no way she was there, there's no way she could've heard -"

"The window was open," said Harry. "I opened it to breathe."

"You were at the top of North Tower!" I said. "Your voice couldn't have carried all the way down to the grounds!"

"Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!" said Harry. "You tell me how she did it!"

"I've been trying!" said Hermione. "But I... but. . ." All of a sudden, an idea, a tiny thought, a miniscule idea came to my head, that all of a sudden grew, all because Harry mentioned the word 'bugging'. I ran my fingers through my hair, and I could remember Victor telling me that I had a beetle in my hair after the second task.

"Are you all right?" said Ron, frowning at me.

"Yes," I said breathlessly. I ran my fingers through my hair again, and then held my hand up to her mouth, as though speaking into an invisible walkie-talkie.

"I've had an idea," I said, gazing into space. "I think I know. . . because then no one would be able to see ... even Moody. . . and she'd have been able to get onto the window ledge . . . but she's not allowed . . . she's definitely not allowed ... I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library - just to make sure!"

I could hear Ron yelling after me that I had an exam in ten minutes, but I didn't care. I had finally figured out how Rita was doing it. She was a beetle animgaus, and if my suspicions were correct, an unregistered one. I had her! I just needed a way to prove this theory, if only I could catch her at it. That must have been how she got up to the tower when Harry was in divination. I only missed the beginning of the History of Magic exam, but I didn't car, I was right! She was an unregistered animgaus!

At lunch Ron asked me if I was going to tell him about my revelation, but I had just noticed Mrs Weasley sitting there with Harry and Bill, she was giving me a very cold glare; she must still think that I had played Harry. Harry looked between us after Mrs Weasley had said a very frosty hello to me and said,

"Mrs. Weasley, you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermione's not my girlfriend." I was so grateful to Harry that I could have kissed him, but I didn't. Mrs Weasley looked ashamed and then acted a lot more kindly towards me. I couldn't believe that someone as nice as her could be so easily turned by a piece of rubbish written by someone she knew to be a liar.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze of nervous anticipation and tests, until dinner was finished. Professor Dumbledore stood and told us to make our way down to the Quidditch pitch, because the final task would be starting in five minutes. Harry turned a very pale white and began to tremble. I took is hand and whispered in his ear,

'Harry, you'll be fine. We all believe in you and just remember that winning doesn't matter, just please sat safe for all of us.' Then I kissed him on the cheek when no-one was looking, I didn't want to add anymore rumours to the ones that were already circulating about us. Harry then followed Mr Bagman out of the Great hall with the other Champions, to great applause.

We made our way down to the stands and filed in one the third row, we had a good view and I had Ron on one side and Fred on the other. Ron and I looked at each other and then grasped hands, I knew that we wouldn't let go of each other until Harry got out of that maze alive. The stands had filled up greatly and I could only just see Harry's head on the ground. Several of the professors were wearing red stars on their backs, and it seemed as though they would be patrolling the maze for the task. Mr Bagman pointed his wand at his throat and began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

"So ... on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three - two - one -"

He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze. I watched in anticipation as Harry and Cedric ran off into the maze, and then the darkness swallowed them up whole. About five minutes later Viktor set off and then five minutes later Fleur was gone.

'So what do we do now?' Ron asked.

'We wait.' I said, and that is what we did, we waited for what seemed like years. To pass the time, Fred and George told stories and cracked jokes, and Bill told us what it was really like to be a Gringotts curse breaker. I was just getting incredibly bored and cold, when I heard shouting. It seemed as though Fleur had been pulled out of the maze and twenty minutes later the same happened to Viktor. It was just Harry and Cedric left now in that death trap, that they called a maze.

We waited and waited, it wasn't silent, more murmuring and occasional high pitched giggles that sounded to be false to be real, everyone was scared out of their minds. Ron and I stood together, not speaking, just hoping that Harry would be ok when he got out of the maze.

Hours seemed to pass, and then there was a crack, and some moaning and I could hear sobbing. It sounded like Harry's, and then above the noise that the crowd had begun to make again, I heard Harry cry out something.

'He's back, Voldemort back.'

My world spun, and I looked down to the ground where Harry was and I saw for the first time Cedric Diggory, dead. The world spun and I fainted


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

_Ron's point of view_

I saw Hermione fall, but I didn't comprehend what I was seeing. Cedric dead and Voldemort back? How could it be, it couldn't be. But it was true. I saw Harry being dragged off by Professor Moody and I stooped to try and revive Hermione. She came to and began to cry and shake. Bagman was telling everyone to get back into Hogwarts, so I took hold of her hand and half dragged her back to Hogwarts. I took Hermione down to the Kitchens; she needed some hot chocolate, which the house elves were almost too happy to supply for us.

'Hermione?' I asked tentatively, she was still crying.

'Yes Ron?' she was shaking silently and I just wanted to comfort her.

'Hermione, will you be my girlfriend? I want to be with you and not have those stupid fights about us not being together because I really like you and not Justas a friend anymore. I was so jealous at the Yule Ball, because I wanted to dance with you and be your date.' I finished and blushed as her head snapped up at me.

'Really Ronald? You really mean it?' she doubted me, and that hurt so much.

'Yes Hermione, I'll try my hardest to never hurt you ever. If you say yes that is.'

'Yes Ron.' I looked back up at her and she was smiling.

'So is it a secret or not?' I asked her, it could be completely up to her from now on, everything.

'Yes, I mean only if you want it to be. But it's kind of fun having a secret.' I smiled and offered her my hand; she took it and looked confused.

'Harry must be in the Hospital Wing by now; we should probably visit our friend who just won the Triwizard Tournament. And we also need to find out if Voldemort is really back, and if he is then everything will change next year.' Hermione looked at me with a mixture of shock and admiration on her face. I knew that she liked it when I was powerful and forceful. But not too often, as I knew that Hermione, my little 'Mione, hated the abuse of power. I really hoped that she would be a prefect next year. I knew that I had no chance of becoming one, but maybe she would let us share baths in the prefect's bathroom, I was going to have to work on my persuasive skills.

Smiling down at her, I took her hand and together we walked up to the hospital quietly talking and occasionally kissing, we met o-one on the way up there. Just before we went into the hospital wing we kissed and then I dropped her hand. It felt god to know that she was **mine**, my girlfriend.

_Sorry for another short chapter, I find it really hard to write for Ron though. I'm trying to finish this story today because if I don't my boarding school will take away another week of my time._


	11. Chapter 11

_The second to last chapter, yay!_

Chapter 11

_Hermione's point of view_

I know that it I stupid to feel this happy after something so terrible has happened, I just couldn't help it. Ron was mine, finally after four years of fancying him! Yeah it was a secret, but I didn't care about that anymore. It may seem quite self-absorbed, that that was the only thing that I was thinking about, it just didn't seem real to me the Cedric had died and that Voldemort was back and that Harry had probably fought him yet again and survived to tell the tale.

When we got to the hospital wing, Harry wasn't there. Al of the other Weasleys were however. They all rounded on us and demanded to know where Harry was. I honestly said that I have no idea, and the Ron said that he was probably with Professor Dumbledore. Not five minutes later Professor Dumbledore, Harry and a black dog that I recognized as Sirius came through the double doors. Molly looked like she was about to kill Professor Dumbledore and smother Harry to death. I'd like to see her try, I thought wryly. Dumbledore told us all not to question Harry and that Sirius would be there for quite a while. I could see that harry was very happy about both of these arrangements; I could also see that he was exhausted.

Madame Pomfery fed Harry a bit of a dreamless sleep potion, I wanted to say something to him, I just didn't know what. Ron took my hand again and we watched as our best friend drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Both of us, Ginny, Fred and George then left the hospital wing. When Harry awoke in a while we would find him again. For now we went up to the deserted Gryffindor common room, some people were already asleep and others were roaming the castle with friends from other houses, but all were in shock at the abruptness of what had happened. Ron brought a set of wizard chess, so I played and lost to him. Ron was a very good chess player, if only he could use that cool logic in other areas of his life, then he would probably smarter than me! If only I could use my intelligence in other areas of my life on chess, then I would be better at it than Ron. It works both ways I suppose.

After a few hours of sitting in silence Ron suggested that we head back up to the hospital wing to see if Harry was ok. So we all went back, and as we neared the doors, I could hear the Minister of Magic yelling at Harry it was lies, ridiculous things that Rita had made up. Rita, I had forgotten all about her in the aftermath of the final task. I still had a mission her, to uncover her animgaus form and make a deal or blackmail her into never writing her lies again. We all walked back in and saw Fudge and Dumbledore in a shouting match.

"Extend them the hand of friendship, now, before it is too late," said Dumbledore, "or Voldemort will persuade them, as he did before, that he alone among wizards will give them their rights and their freedom!"

"You - you cannot be serious!" Fudge gasped, shaking his head and retreating further from Dumbledore. "If the magical community got wind that I had approached the giants -people hate them, Dumbledore - end of my career -"

"You are blinded," said Dumbledore, his voice rising now, the aura of power around him palpable, his eyes blazing once more, "by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius! You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be! Your dementor has just destroyed the last remaining member of a pure-blood family as old as any - and see what that man chose to make of his life! I tell you now-take the steps I have suggested, and you will be remembered, in office or out, as one of the bravest and greatest Ministers of Magic we have ever known. Fail to act - and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we have tried to rebuild!"

"Insane," whispered Fudge, still backing away. "Mad . . ."

And then there was silence. Madam Pomfrey was standing frozen at the foot of Harry's bed, her hands over her mouth. was still standing over Harry, her hand on his shoulder to prevent him from rising. Bill, Ron, and I were staring at Fudge.

"If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, "we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I - I shall act as I see fit." Dumbledore's voice carried no hint of a threat; it sounded like a mere statement, but Fudge bristled as though Dumbledore were advancing upon him with a wand.

"Now, see here, Dumbledore," he said, waving a threatening finger. "I've given you free rein, always. I've had a lot of respect for you. I might not have agreed with some of your decisions, but I've kept quiet. There aren't many who'd have let you hire werewolves, or keep Hagrid, or decide what to teach your students without reference to the Ministry. But if you're going to work against me -"

"The only one against whom I intend to work," said Dumbledore, "is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side."

It seemed Fudge could think of no answer to this. He rocked backward and forward on his small feet for a moment and spun his bowler hat in his hands. Finally, he said, with a hint of a plea in his voice, "He can't be back, Dumbledore, he just can't be ..." Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.

"There," said Snape harshly. "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff's too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord's vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold." Fudge stepped back from Snape too. He was shaking his head. He did not seem to have taken in a word Snape had said. He stared, apparently repelled by the ugly mark on Snape's arm, then looked up at Dumbledore and whispered, "I don't know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry."

He had almost reached the door when he paused. He turned around, strode back down the dormitory, and stopped at Harry's bed.

"Your winnings," he said shortly, taking a large bag of gold out of his pocket and dropping it onto Harry's bedside table. "One thousand Galleons. There should have been a presentation ceremony, but under the circumstances .. ."

He strode out, and I was speechless. I had always thought of Fudge as a kindly, yet blustering man. Not as a fool, yet that was how he appeared to me in that moment. I didn't hear Dumbledore preparing everyone. The only real moment was when Sirius turned back into a human; I would have found Mrs Weasley's reaction funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. Dumbledore made Sirius and Snape shake hands, and agree not to murder each other.

And then Sirius was gone, to hide out at Professor Lupin's until further notice. Then Dumbledore was preparing Snape for something and he seemed scared, yet determined. Then Snape was gone, everything was surreal. Dumbledore was saying that he needed to go and see the Diggorys. Then Dumbledore was gone.

Mrs Weasley was trying to talk Harry back into going to sleep, and all of a sudden I realised that Harry's eyes looked startling green and glistening with light from the unshed tears in his mother's eyes. Harry was blaming himself, yet again. I could see out of the corner of my eye Ron roll his eye at Harry's need for everything to be his fault. Then I saw something else, on the window sill. It was a beetle, a water beetle. I knew who it was and grabbed a jar and slowly made my way closer to it. I knew that everyone would be too distracted by Mrs Weasley hugging Harry and Harry trying not to cry to notice her. I whirled around and slammed the jar down onto her.

I felt the most amazing sense of satisfaction as I watched Rita Skeeter struggle to get out of the jar, I put the lid on and did and anti-changing jinx onto it. Rita was trapped and quite literally under my spell. Then I realised that everyone was staring at me. I whispered 'sorry' and Harry drank the rest of his potion and quite quickly went back to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

_Final chapter! *And there was much rejoicing* of this story, but I will be back…*BOO*And as they say in Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail (Great film btw) GET ON WITH IT!_

Chapter 12

_Ron's point of view_

We left Harry be after he took the last of his sleeping potion, no-one knew how long it would be until he go out, and I'm pretty sure that I overheard Madame Pomfery saying to Professor Dumbledore that Harry's physical injuries would heal with time, but that he would never fully mentally recover. When I told all this to Hermione she simply said,

'Well we're going to have to help him recover and be as close to normal as is possible then, aren't we?'

The morning after the final task, at breakfast Professor Dumbledore spoke to all of the students and he asked us to just leave Harry alone and not ask him about what had happened. So of course people came to me and Hermione. But we had no idea what had happened. Hermione and I spent all of our time together, and as classes had all been cancelled, that was quiet a lot of free time. We worked well as a couple, it was like we had taken our friendship to a whole new level, which in effect we had done.

After Harry got out of the hospital wing, people whispered about him and stared at him more than ever. I could tell that it bothered him, but he didn't say anything about it to me or Hermione, so we let it slide. Harry seemed to like it when we talked about mundane things, like Hermione's knitting or speculation on who would be our DADA teacher next year. Professor Moody had turned up in the hospital wing with no hair, and there was talk going around that we had had an imposter all year. Harry also liked it when he sat in silence and Hermione and I played chess, at times we would glance up at him and he would either be watching the game intently or staring off into the distance just thinking. None of us talked about what wag on outside of Hogwarts, Harry didn't because he didn't know and he didn't want to speculate, Hermione didn't because not knowing what was going on scared her and I didn't because I didn't want to know or think about it.

My mother asked Professor Dumbledore if Harry could come straight back to ours, instead of going back to the Duresleys over the summer. But he said that Harr needed to go back to the Duresleys. Mm wasn't very impressed at this and they had many arguments about this, but in the end Dumbledore won as he always does. When I told Harry about all of this, he looked quite touched that my mum would want him for the entire summer. He also looked shocked, I suppose he wasn't used to people wanting him, I just wanted to tell him to come and live with us full time, mum had practically adopted him and I thought of him as my brother already.

Harry and I went down to visit Hagrid one day; Professor Dumbledore had said that he wanted to see Hermione in his office, so we took the opportunity to go visit Hagrid and talk to him. Hagrid told us all about how he always knew that Voldemort would be coming back, that Dumbledore wanted to head Voldemort off before he got to strong again and how he and Madame Maxime had a mission to do for Dumbledore over the summer. Hagrid also told Harry that he looked like his father and that his father would be proud of him and that there was no higher praise than that.

That night we packed out trunks and made our way down to the end of year feast, I knew that Harry didn't want to go and I didn't either, but when I entered the hall with Harry and Hermione I saw that the entire hall was covered in black. It was a funeral type thing for Cedric. The food was amazing as usual, but the hall was quitter than usual and it was more subdued talking. Hermione and I played footsie under the table, but we stopped as soon as Professor Dumbledore got to his feet for the end of year speech.

The end," said Dumbledore, looking around at them all, "of another year."

He paused, and his eyes fell upon the Hufflepuff table. Theirs had been the most subdued table before he had gotten to his feet, and theirs were still the saddest and palest faces in the Hall.

"There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight," Said Dumbledore, "but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here," he gestured toward the Hufflepuffs, "enjoying our feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."

They did it, all of them; the benches scraped as everyone in the Hall stood, and raised their goblets, and echoed, in one loud, low, rumbling voice, "Cedric Diggory."

"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff house," Dumbledore continued. "He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."

"Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."

A panicked whisper swept the Great Hall. People were staring at Dumbledore in disbelief, in horror. He looked perfectly calm as he watched them mutter themselves into silence.

"The Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore continued, "does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so - either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory."

Stunned and frightened, every face in the Hall was turned toward Dumbledore now... or almost every face. "There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death,"

Dumbledore went on. "I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."

A kind of ripple crossed the Great Hall as a few heads turned in Harry's direction before flicking back to face Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honour him."

Dumbledore turned gravely to Harry and raised his goblet once more. Nearly everyone in the Great Hall followed suit. They murmured his name, as they had murmured Cedric's, and drank to him. When everyone had once again resumed their seats, Dumbledore continued,

"The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to further and promote magical understanding. In the light of what has happened - of Lord Voldemorts return - such ties are more important than ever before." Dumbledore looked from Madame Maxime and Hagrid, to Fleur Delacour and her fellow Beauxbatons students, to Viktor Krum and the Durmstrangs at the Slytherin table. Krum, Harry saw, looked wary, almost frightened, as though he expected Dumbledore to say something harsh.

"Every guest in this Hall," said Dumbledore, and his eyes lingered upon the Durmstrang students, "will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come. I say to you all, once again - in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemorts gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open. It is my belief- and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken - that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you in this Hall have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Many of your families have been torn asunder. A week ago, a student was taken from our midst. Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."

The Great hall was silent as we remembered him, I caught a brief glimpse of Harry's face, he looked like he was going to cry and so I put my and on his shoulder.

The next day we were waiting for the carriages Fleur came up to the three of us, she kissed Harry and then me on the cheeks and told us how she was getting a job in England to improve her English. Then Krum came along and asked for a word with Hermione. I glared at him for the entire time, and then when I lost sight of them I glared at the sky which was a beautiful, perfect blue. When Hermione returned, I tried to read her expression, but it was impassive, so I made a mental note to ask her about it later. Krum then shook hands with me and Harry. Krum turned to go and I knew that this would be the last time that I would have an opportunity like this, and although he did try to steal my girl, I respected his Quidditch to much to let this slide. Sol I pushed my pride to one side and asked for his autograph. I could see Hermione laughing at me, but I didn't care.

We got onto the train and had a compartment to ourselves; everything was as good as it could be. Harry finally told us all that had happened on that night. We only stopped talking about everything when the lunch trolley came around. Then Hermione burst, she told us about finding out about Rita being an unregistered animgaus and how she had a little 'deal' with her now. I knew that she had wanted to tell us for ages, but she seemed to have repressed the urge in light of all that had happened.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle came in at some point and they were insulting, so the three of us and Fred and George hexed them to resemble slugs. The twins spent the rest of the train journey with us and when we got off at Kings Cross, Harry held them back to talk to them. I didn't mind, this meant that I could say a proper boyfriend goodbye to Hermione. She looked at me and smiled, and then we hugged. Hermione began to walk away from me and I called her back then she ran to me and we kissed passionately and were broke apart just in time to see Fred and George get off of the train with Harry and they were smiling.

We all said goodbye and promised to see him soon and then we watched as Harry left our world for the whole summer. Mum and Dad grabbed our stuff and together we made our way back to the Burrow.

_Finished! I'm so happy! I never expected to do it this quickly; it was only supposed to be filler for when I was bored of LEDSY…Please check out my other stories and review. I'll put the next one of these up in maybe two weeks? It depends what sort of feedback I get!_

_All my love and hoping to see you soon,_

_Emily x_


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